Wake me up on time
by EternalBliss
Summary: Tomo Kamagawa has one dream in life. To see Japan. Everything seems to be perfect when she's accepted into the Foreign Exchange program at her school and is given the chance to make her dream a reality. But sometimes we get more than we bargained for...
1. The error of bathing pigs

Disclaimer- I do not own Ranma ½. Tomo and her sister belong to me, however.

-------

I honestly don't know what I was thinking. Did I think this was going to be fun? Did I think this was going to be easy or something? What am I? A moron? Or maybe I'm just too naïve. Well, whatever I was thinking, it's brought me here. And now I'll merely have to make do. Because that's really the only option I have. Stupid, stupid, STUPID!!! This is all so stupid.

But wait. I'm getting a head of my self, aren't I? You don't even know what's going on. I hate hearing stories where I don't know what's going on. You see, it all stared like this...

-------

"Tomo! Mail's here! You got some registered letter or something! "My sister Mizuki called as she entered the house one afternoon late in May, the door slamming behind her. She always was on the loud side. I looked up from the bowl of ramen I was slurping from, my eyebrow cocked as she tossed the letter on the table before she walked over to the couch, throwing herself across it as she flipped though some magazine or another.

"Must be from the society." I said around a mouthful of noodles, picking the letter up from the table. I glanced at the address, and sure enough, I was right.

"Hmm. That's interesting." Mizuki said absent mindedly as she thumbed through the magazine, not really paying me any heed. Yeah, did I mention she's self-absorbed? I rolled my eyes in her general direction as I ripped the envelope open, pulling out the papers inside. I glanced them over, a pleased smile on my face.

"Hah! Guess who's going to Japan for her last two years of High School?! Yes! Wait'll everyone hears. They'll be so jealous. "I replied with a cocky grin as I got up from the table and carried my empty bowl to the sink, leaving it on the pile of dishes that were slowly beginning to resemble a mountain.

"Mizuki, do the dishes." I added as I walked past her, kicking the end of the couch to get her attention as I passed.

"Ok fine! Geez! Who's the older sister here anyway?!" She grumbled as she got up, sulking as she stomped into the kitchen. She was muttering about me with every step she took, but that was typical.

"From the way YOU act, I wouldn't know." I yelled as I entered the office, shutting the door with my foot. Guess it was time to call old money bags...I mean dad.

-------

8 weeks later.

I feel like a zombie. Ugh. Jet lag is sooo uncool. And the trip here took forever. 14 hours straight on a plane is way too long, if you ask me. Man. I don't even know what day it is anymore. All in all though, I guess the flight was pretty uneventful. I got a window seat, and whoever was supposed to set next to me, never showed up. Which was nice. Anyway, though, I was just glad to be off that plane. Even if I did look like I was drunk as I wobbled out of customs and down to baggage claim. I needed to get my money exchanged too, but I figured there had to be a bank somewhere near where I was staying. I'd been assigned to stay with these people named the Tendo's, in a suburb or whatever of Tokyo. I'd be going to Furinkan High School, along with 2 of the Tendo girls. I'd gotten a bit of information on the family, and I'd e-mailed the one girl, Nabiki, to ask if I could bring my cats, but other than that, I hadn't been in any real contact with the family or anything. I really hoped they'd gotten my e-mail with the info on when my plane arrived and stuff. Cause being stuck here would really suck.

But get my e-mail they must have. Since I saw a young lady holding a sign with my name on it after I'd collected my luggage and shoved, pushed, and pulled it onto a cart.

"Um, Hi. I'm Tomo Kagayama." I said as I hesitantly approached the lady, making sure my Japanese was enunciated clearly. I may have been of Japanese decent you know, but still...I WAS American after all.

"Oh! You startled me. I'm very pleased to meet you. I'm Kasumi Tendo." The lady said with a slight laugh, bowing.

"Nice to meet ya. " I replied, hiding a yawn.

"Is this all of your things? "She asked as she glanced at the cart of luggage, her eyes widening as they fell on my cat carrier.

"Oh my. Is that a cat?" She asked, sounding a bit odd.

I stared at her for a few minutes in confusion as people bustled here and there around us.

"Uh, yeah. It was all right I brought them, wasn't it? I'd e-mailed your sister Nabiki, and she said it was ok, so I just assumed..." I replied as I picked at the edge of my sleeve, a nervous habit of mine.

"No, it's fine. It was just a bit of a surprise. She must have forgotten to mention it. Well, shall we go? I'm sure you're tired, and it's still quite a ways to the house. This area is always quite congested." Kasumi relied with a smile as I nodded and followed her from the airport. There was something strange about the whole cat incident but I was tired and decided I'd think about it later.

-------

It took us 2 freaking hours to get from Narita to their house. If I had thought I felt like a Zombie back at the airport, by then I actually was close to being one. My body was by then moving on it's own accord, probably from necessity. Since my mind WAS like mush by that time. Kasumi helped me pull my stuff from the trunk of the taxi, and then we made our way inside. I pulled my rolling suitcase and carried the cat carrier as I followed her, my carry on and garment bag in her grasp.

"Welcome to our home! We're so glad you've come. Shall I give you a tour now, or would you rather wait until later? "She asked as we stopped in the entryway to remove our shoes.

"If you don't mind, I'm a bit tired. I'd rather take the tour when I'm much more attentive." I said with a weary smile.

"Oh, alright. I'll show you to your room then. Please, follow me." Kasumi said as she lead the way into the house and up the stairs, showing me to the guestroom at the back of the hall. It wasn't very big, but it was big enough, and it contained a nice daybed, a desk, bookcase, and a desk lamp. There was a window with a balcony along one wall, and it overlooked the yard and fence that bordered the property. It wasn't much of a view, but it was better than nothing.

"It's a bit bare right now, but I'm sure you'll have it looking like home in no time. Would you like for me to show you where the bath is? I know you said you're tired, but a nice hot bath may help you feel better. And now would be an excellent time to take one. Everyone else will be gone until this evening. "She said with a smile.

"Yes, thank you. That's probably a good idea. It would probably help me with my jet lag." I replied as I sat the cat carrier on the floor and stretched. Kasumi said something to the effect of "All right." or "That's fine ", as she led me down stairs and showed me where the bath was.

"The towels are in here and you can just leave your laundry here in the bin." She told me, pulling open the closet where the towels were kept. I thanked her before I made my way back to my room, unzipping my suitcase so I could pull my bathrobe and other toiletries out before heading back to the bath.

"A nice, hot soak is probably just what I need. "I muttered as I slid the door closed. I undressed and threw my dirty laundry in the clothes bin, hurriedly washing my hair as I rinsed off with the cold water. I was shivering by the time I turned the hot water on and let the tub begin to fill, wrapping one of the towels around my self as I waited. I was just about to get in when I heard something scratching at the door. I wrinkled my nose as I got to my feet, securing the towel tighter around my body as I went to investigate. I pulled the door open hesitantly, confused as I saw nothing at first.

"Well, I wonder what that noise was?" I mumbled as I glanced down, my eyes widening over what I saw. The dirtiest little black pig sat there, panting as it looked up at me.

"Oh, Tomo." Kasumi said as she rounded the corner and saw me, a frazzled look on her face. "Would you mind bathing P-chan when you're through? I don't know where's he's been, but he's so terribly dirty. I don't want to wait for Akane to bathe him later and have him here in the house looking like that." She asked as she picked the little thing up and handed him to me.

"Uh, sure. I can bathe him." I said as I glanced down at the black piglet in my arms. It seemed to panic when I said that, trying to squirm out of my grasp, but I tightened my grasp before he could make his getaway.

"Thank you very much." Kasumi replied as I nodded and shut the door, glancing skeptically at the pig.

"Alright pig." I said, holding it up to face me by the black and orange bandana it had tied around its neck. "I'm not too wild about this and obviously you aren't either. But Kasumi has a point. You can't run around here looking like that. So...I guess that means one thing. You're getting that bath whether you want it or not. You are, however, very dirty. So I'm bathing first. You can wait out here." I said as I sat the pig down in the laundry room and went to take my bath.

"What's with that pig?!" I muttered to myself as I ditched the towel and climbed into the tub. I sank down into the water, sighing with contentment as the hot water soothed my tense nerves and muscles. I probably soaked in there for about ½ an hour before I remembered I still needed to bathe the pig. The water sloshed as I got out and grabbed my towel, drying off before I pulled my robe on, tying it shut. I gathered my other toiletries and pulled the door open to the laundry room, sitting the basket with my stuff in it on the dryer.

"Ok, it's your turn now, piggy." I said as I picked it up, heading back into the bathroom. He squealed as he tried to get away, but he was no match for me as I knelt by the tub. I held him up until he was at eye-level with me with me.

"Well, you may not want a bath, little piggy, but theme's the breaks." I declared as I smirked at the tiny thing before I tossed him in the tub. He promptly sunk to the bottom as I began to panic.

"Agghhh!! Stupid pig! Don't you dare drown on me!" I exclaimed as I pushed my sleeve up and plunged my arm in the water, fishing around for him. What I felt down there was most definitely NOT a pig!

-------

Hah! And here's my latest fan fic!! My ode to the first anime I ever got into, Ranma ½ !!! This was actually the first fan fic I ever wrote too. It's just been sitting around in my room for these past couple years, he he!! But it did get a little revision!! I have Imadoki, Alice 19th, Pretear, and Full Metal Panic fan fics in the works, maybe they'll make it up here eventually too!! Lol!!! Actually, Chapter 1 of the Imadoki fic is going up tonight too. Enjoy.


	2. Hah! Look who's laughing now!

Disclaimer- I don't own Ranma1/2. Tomo is mine.

-------

I jerked my hand from the water and backed away, my eyes never leaving the sight in front of me. Out of the water rose a guy. A **guy**! Not a pig, but a GUY. A teenage guy to be precise. He looked to be close to my age, I'd guess. He had black hair and was wearing an orange and black bandana as he stared at me.

"Well. Are you happy now? I've had my bath." He said, his eyebrow cocked.

"Uh, um, wha..." I stammered, shocked speechless. I had to slap my hand over my mouth, needed to keep that rising scream from escaping you know, as I stared at him, my eyes wide.

He sighed before replying. "I'm Ryoga Hibiki. This is a really long story."

"I...I bet." I squeaked between my fingers, my eyes still glued on him.

"Where to start, where to start..." he mumbled, before he continued. "Uh, well, you know that little black pig you threw in here? That's, eh, me. See, this really strange thing happened to me. When I get hit with cold water, I...turn into that pig. Hot water changes me back." He replied, like that was any explanation.

"Uh, right. Whatever you say." I said, a fake smile plastered on my face. Guy was obviously nuts. Either that or **I **was nuts...

"Well, it's your choice whether you believe me or not, but can I at least have a towel? I'd like to get out." He said, his voice flat as he stared at me.

I nodded or something I think as I got to my feet and moved woodenly into the other room, grabbing a towel. I walked back to the door of the bath and tossed it to him. "Here. You can let me know when you're done." I said, pulling the door shut. "This is bizarre." I muttered as I paced back and forth. Kasumi had **given** me the pig to bathe; never acting like it was anything other than a pig. HE claimed to BE that pig. Maybe I should test this cold water theory of his. "Give myself some peace of mind." I told myself, starting to feel hysterical and a bit crazy. But how would I get him wet? Wait, wait! There was a spray bottle in my bath caddy, wasn't there?

"Hah! I'll fill it with water and spray him with it when I follow him out of here." I concluded as I grinned insanely. I know, not a very...intelligent...plan, but I wasn't exactly feeling rational at the moment, either. He slid the door open then as I chuckled evilly to myself, the towel wrapped around his waist. I grabbed my bath caddy as I brushed by him, glancing at him as we passed. He wasn't that bad looking, I suppose. Seemed to be pretty muscular and in shape. And he was tall too, about 6'2, I suppose.

I made my way over to the sink and turned the tap on, filling my spray bottle as I calculated my plan, a malicious grin on my face. When I'd finished several minutes later, I turned around and saw him standing there in the doorway still, watching me.

"Uh, you're still here? Why?!" I demanded, my eyes widening again. What was **with** this guy?!

"What time is it?" He asked, sounding a bit worried.

"About 4. Why?" I asked as I wrinkled my nose, confused again. He blanched, frozen in place, his eyes wide.

"Where is your room?!" he demanded, his eyes locking onto mine. The desperation on his face surprised me.

"Huh?!" I exclaimed, confused even further. This guy was nuts!

"Your ROOM!! Akane will be home anytime! She can't SEE me like this!! You **must** help me! Please! I'll do anything!" He exclaimed, desperation coloring his voice as he grabbed me by the shoulders.

"Ok, ok!" I said, holding my hands up in front of me. "Follow me." I added. I went to the door and opened it a little so I could stick my head out. I glanced first to the left, then to the right. Confident the coast was clear, I opened the door wider and beckoned to Ryoga as I hurried down the hall and up the stairs to the second floor. We were almost to my room when we heard the door downstairs open. Ryoga grabbed my arm in a death grip as I paused; listening to the sounds of voices and movement as it drifted up the stairs.

"Ranma! You're such a jerk!" A girl exclaimed, the sound of a bag or something being thrown on the floor as Ryoga freaked, just about dragging me down the hall.

"We...we have to go now! That's Akane!" he hissed as we reached my room. Dragging me inside, he shut the door and hurried over to the window, closing the blind.

"What are we going to do?" He muttered to himself as he sat down on the bed and put his head in his hands.

I scowled at him as I walked over to my desk and sat my caddy down, whirling to stare at him after I'd done so, my arms crossed over my chest.

"Oh no you **didn't **just sit on my bed in that wet towel, boy. What **do** you think you're doing! Get up, Ryoga or whatever you said your name was!" I snapped at him. I think my Central Park friends were starting to rub off on me...

He looked up at me, seeming to remember I was in the room, and he narrowed his eyes, tilting his head to the side.

"Uh, who are you anyway?" He asked. Geez! Figures he wouldn't think to ask that until **now. **

"I'm **Tomo**. The foreign exchange student staying with the Tendo's? You're that pig...P-chan, and evidently it lives here, so I thought you would have known." I snapped.

"Oh. That makes sense." He replied. Like der. Made a whole lot more sense than his pig and water explanation.

"Sure. Whatever. Now, listen Ryoga. I take it this Akane doesn't know you and the pig are one and the same, am I right or what?" I asked as I sat down in the desk chair, crossing my legs.

"Well, obviously." I heard him mutter.

"What's the problem then?" I asked with a casual shrug of my shoulders. I didn't see what the big deal was, really.

"I can't go out like this! I'm just wearing a towel! Besides, how would I explain this?!" He said.

Well, I suppose he had a point, I thought as I tried to comb out my tangled hair with my fingers.

"I guess your right. But what are you planning on doing? You can't sit in here all night, you know."

"If I had my clothes, I could climb down the balcony." He replied as he got up and went to peak out the window.

"Sounds simple enough. You got any clothes around here someplace?" I asked, my face expressionless as I watched him.

"This happens to me often. Changing into the pig, I mean. I keep a spare set of clothes hidden here. I'll show you where they are."

Crossing over to the window, Ryoga pulled the blind up, pointing at some bushes by the wall of the stone fence or whatever around the house.

"See those bushes there? Under one of them you'll find the clothes I stashed." He informed me. Figures I'd be the one who was going to have to go craw through the bushes.

He closed the blind as I walked over to my suitcase and flopped it open. "Heaven help me, I'll do it. Mainly because I'm tired and I want you gone. I'm going to get dressed. So go hide in the closet. When I'm through, I'll go get your stuff. Then, when I get back, you can get dressed and I'll throw...I mean HELP you get down off the balcony." I told him as I grabbed a pair of jeans and a T-shirt from my suitcase.

Ryoga agreed and I pushed him into the closet, hurriedly dressing once I'd done so. I hurried to the door and threw it open, leaving it ajar as I hurried down the hall.

"Ryoga, you'd better pray I can find my way out of this house or your royally flushed."

-------

Ok, so chapter 2 is up! Yeah! Anyway, thanks for all my reviews. Yeah, I'll keep an eye on the quotation marks. My spell check and grammer tool sometimes messes them up.


	3. Sometimes it's just better to leave thro...

Disclaimer- Don't own Ranma ½. Own Tomo.

-------

Well, I found Ryoga's clothes all right. Right there in the bushes like he said. Until then I'd had a stroke of luck, encountering no one. And evidently I was naive enough to believe it would continue. If my behavior was any indication anyway, as I crouched in the bushes...

-------

"Ah ha!! There they are! Finally!" I muttered as I stooped down to grab Ryoga's clothes, ready to leap back to my feet and make a dash for the house. Until I saw **him**, anyway. This guy, I mean. He was over by the dojo, kicking a practice post.

"Oh, great!" I exclaimed in annoyance, diving into the bushes with the finesse of ...er... we'll just let it go at that, as I mentally willed him to go back into the house or whatever. Yeah. Like **that** worked. I laid there in the dirt and underbrush for like 10 minutes, thinking all manor of ill thoughts about the guy, my hands tightened into fists. Should have sprayed Ryoga with the water bottle. Then this problem would be solved. Maybe none of this is really happening anyway. Yeah! Maybe I fell asleep in the bathe!

"Wake up, Tomo. Stop this crazy, bizarre dream. Guys don't turn into pigs, so you **must** be dreaming." I muttered to myself as I pinched myself. Yeah. I wasn't asleep. Darnnit!! Guy still showed no sign of stopping. Or even moving out of sight. I had the sudden thought that I just may **die** in that bush, Ryoga's clothing in my fist. Wouldn't that be an interesting letter for dad? I giggled then, slapping my hand over my mouth as the guy stopped, glancing around. He shock his head and went back to doing whatever it was he'd been doing, and I watched him several minutes longer. What was I gonna do?! I heard a noise and glanced over at the house, my eyes widening in silent horror. A girl stepped out of their dinning room onto the open-air hallway or whatever, hollering at that Ranma person again.

"Must be that guy's name." I muttered to myself as he yelled something back at her, the girl stomping down the steps into the yard, gripping about him promising to help her train or something.

"Great! Just great!" I sputtered as they began to spar. Grr!!!!! Was I doomed to stay out here the rest of the night or something?! Maybe I should just risk moving and take off. They both looked to be pretty occupied for the time being. Suddenly I noticed that while that Ranma guy was blocking her punches and kicks, he was moving them out of view.

"Yes!" I exclaimed to myself, darting from the bushes when they were out of view. I ran around the house and entered through the front door, not knowing the layout of the first floor very well. I successfully made it back inside with out being seen. Slipping out of my shoes, I shoved my feet in my house slippers and hurried up the stairs, taking them 2 at a time. By then I didn't care if anyone saw me, I'd think of something, and hurried down the hall, making it to the door of my room just as Kasumi came up the stairs and saw me.

"Oh, Tomo! Thanks again for bathing P-chan. I hope he wasn't any problem." She called out to me.

I threw Ryoga's clothes in my room and turned back to Kasumi, fake grin in place. "Uh, it wasn't a problem. He wasn't any, uh, problem at all." I replied, glancing back over my shoulder into my room. No problem my butt.

"Oh, all right. What did you do with him when you were finished?" She asked as she neared me.

"Ok, Tomo. Think fast." I muttered under my breath before I opened my mouth to reply.

"Oh, um, I, uh, let him go. I'm sure he's around somewhere. "I said, trying not to sound too suspicious.

"I'm sure he is. Oh. Dinner will be ready in about an hour, all right?" Kasumi informed me, smiling. I think I said all right and smiled or something, but I'm not all together sure. My mind was on the naked guy in my closet. She left then, heading for her room. I saw she had a book or something in her hand as I shut myself in my room, leaning against the door. I felt like I was going to have an anxiety attack. Switching the overhead light on, I closed the blind, leaving the window open. It wasn't like we weren't going to be using it in a few minutes anyway. I crossed the room, pulling the door to the closet open.

"You owe me **big** for this!" I announced, poking Ryoga in the chest with my finger.

"Why? What happened?" He asked as he moved to grab his stuff off the floor.

"I'll have you know that I ended up **lying** in those bushes for like **20** minutes! And all because your precious Akane and that Ranma guy just happened to be out sparing!" I announced, sitting on the desk chair, my legs crossed.

"Sorry." He replied as he just stood there, staring at me.

"Well, what are you waiting for?! Get dressed!!" I exclaimed, gesturing at him as I rolled my eyes in frustration.

"Where?" He asked, glancing around like a moron.

"What do you mean, **where**?! In the closet!" I answered, pointing at the closet. He shuffled over to it and pulled the door partially closed.

"Uh, don't look." Ryoga said as I gritted my teeth and rolled my eyes again.

"Yeah, Ryoga. I'm **sure** that's the **least** of your problems right now." I snapped as I studied my fingernails. Guys can be so...weird. And here I thought it was just American guys too. Nope. Guess it must be universal behavior. He presently came out and stood staring at me. At least he was **dressed** this time.

"Um, you still need to help me get off the balcony." He said.

"Figures." I replied as I uncrossed my legs and got to my feet, heading toward the window. I opened the blinds as I glanced over my shoulder at him.

"I'll see if anyone's in the yard." I said as I turned back to the window, crawling out. I took several steps and glanced over the railing. I glanced first one way and then the other. Satisfied no one was there; I turned back to glance at him.

"The coast is clear. Let's go. Get this 'escape' of yours under way. "I replied, leaning in the open window. He nodded and I moved aside, Ryoga soon joining me on the balcony.

"And just how do you want to do this?" I asked, my arms folded across my chest. Guess I was getting the Japanese practice I needed today.

"Well, I'm going to climb over the railing and you grab my wrists and try to lower me as near the ground as you can. I'll let you know when to let go." He replied.

I pursed my lips as I listened to him, glancing off to the side. His plan didn't sound like such a good idea, but whatever. He grabbed the top of the rail with both hands and swung one leg over, turning so he could wedge his foot between the bars. He pulled his other leg over and stood there on the ledge of the balcony, staring at me.

"Ryoga, I don't think this is such a great idea. "I told him, a skeptical look on my face.

"Well, I'm over here now. Grab my wrist now." He replied, sounding strained.

"Of all the stupid idea's..." I grumbled as I locked one hand around left wrist, planting the other firmly on the banister. He let go with his right hand and grabbed the bottom of one of the bars, stepping off the ledge. I bore almost all of his weight then, my stomach pressed into the banister as I let it go, reaching down to grab his other wrist, bearing his full weight then. Oh the pain. It was excruciating.

"Geez, you're heavy. I'm gonna die." I wheezed as I gritted my teeth, leaning over as far as I dared. He still dangled several feet off the ground. Honestly, it felt like my arms were being ripped from their sockets.

" Is...this...far...enough?!" I gasped as pain shot up my arms, competing with the horrendous pain I felt from the banister pressing into my ribs. I was going to have some bruises.

"I'm still about 4 feet off the ground. Can you lower me a bit more?" he asked, studying the distance between his feet and the ground.

"No, I can't ...lower you...anymore. You'll...pull me...over too!!" I ground out between my teeth, longing to let go. Just then...horrors of all horrors, I heard the door began to creak open behind me.

"Oh shoot! Ryoga, someone's at the door. I'm gonna have to drop you!" I hissed, my eyes wide in panic.

"What?! No, don't ! Not..." He began to exclaim as the door opened further. I promptly dropped him, whirling around, my heart beating in my ears. He landed with a thud, my heart race increasing. I hope no one had heard that. I tensed; planting a smile on my face, hopping it wasn't too red from the stain I'd been under. Oh, I felt the return of that anxiety attack. If things kept going like this, I wasn't going to last here a month, much less 2 years.

-------

Well! Another chapter done! Hope you all enjoy it!! Thanks to those for you who reviewed! I appreciate it!

See ya next time!


End file.
